Slow Dancing in the Dark
by Mess It Up
Summary: Deku and Uravity try to keep their "relationship" a secret. Heroes have a lot to protect after all. Unfortunately it's not what either of them want, and it's slowly tearing them apart inside.


He shuffled around the small yet well decorated studio moving some clutter here, lighting a candle there. It was a well established rhythm at this point. The hot shower did a lot of good for his aching body; hero work did a large toll on a person, after all. He tried to clear his mind of all the responsibilities of the Symbol of Peace, right now he was only Izuku.

A knock at his front door.

He pulled himself together and all but sprinted to answer it. A small smile pulled at the sides of his freckled face as he opened the door to reveal not exactly who he was expecting, yet also exactly who.

Zero Gravity Hero: Uravity

She seemed a bit tired with her signature bob haircut mostly stuck to her face, and the sweat soaked hero costume she wore had definitely been through a full days work. It didn't bother Izuku at all though, she still shone more brightly then everything else in his world.

"Deku I'm sorry! I stayed a bit later at the agency and wanted to get here as fast as I could!" He gave a small chuckle and led her inside.

"It's fine! I know how long your days can be. How about you take a shower while I finish up out here?" She took a look around, noticing how tidy his apartment was and then a delicious smell hit her. He noticed the starved look on her face and laughed again.

"I made some of your favorites, but I promise it'll taste better after you clean up." She smiled back at him and simply nodded before taking a well traveled path to his only bathroom. Izuku stepped into his kitchen trying a bit of soup to make sure it was hot and tasty. Ochaco was sure to want seconds. Satisfied with dinner he took a seat at his small kitchen table.

These were his best days, she would come over and they could have each others undivided attention for just a little while before they both had to go back to being Heroes. Plus, it wasn't as if being a hero was a bad thing, they had both worked incredibly hard to get to where they were and loved every step of the way. They had achieved their personal dreams. Izuku, with a mastery of his Quirk, had succeeded All Might as the Symbol of Peace while Ochaco lessened her parent's financial burden so much they took several vacations per year. Everything looked perfect. These were his best days.

But also the most sad.

Soon enough Ochaco walked back into the kitchen to rejoin him and again everything became brighter. Dressed in one of his large forrest green shirts, it almost seemed like a dress considering how she hadn't grown much since UA and he had a monster growth spurt in the Fall of their 3rd year. His heart fluttered as he returned her goofy smile.

"I didn't bring any clothes with me so I hope it was okay I borrowed this." She said as she twirled around showcasing how small she was inside the shirt.

"Looks better on you anyway, you may have to take it with you!" Izuku beamed at her with a very "All Might" thumbs up. She giggled back in response before quieting down, a sad smile gracing her face. He quickly understood his mistake and returned a smile that didn't quite meet his very green eyes. "Lets eat, okay?" She nodded and took her place at the table.

Miso soup, tempura veggies and curry that wasn't too spicy. Her smile spread wider yet it maintained its somewhat sad look. He tried to move the conversation along while they ate and for the most part it worked. Izuku had the best work stories that ranged from bumping elbows with others in the top 10, to stopping villains, and even saving civilians just as All Might had once done. She loved hearing him talk about his work as a Hero, he had worked so hard to achieve this dream of his and she liked to believe she had been a small part of his journey pushing him forward.

She took in his face. More masculine but still very much the Deku she had known for over ten years. His green hair, while shorter still appeared messy and unkempt no matter how much he struggled with a hair brush. He raised a spoonful of curry to his mouth and she eyes his faded yet visible scars that lined his hands and arms. He seemed so human, so vulnerable here in front of her; not at all like the indestructible number one hero she would often see on TV.

She couldn't stop herself before she reached quickly across the table and took his hand in her much smaller one. He gave a small look of curious amusement before she squeezed tight and her gaze fell towards the floor. In an instant he was at her side crouched down, hand still within hers. "Ochaco?" He spoke her name and she felt both warm and cold, she simply shook her head quickly as if to tell him she was fine. She was fine after all, just not as good as she could be.

Izuku slipped his other arm around her small frame and she naturally pressed against him, still not looking up, small hand still squeezing his tight without her pinky. He inhaled deeply and let it out as gently as he could manage. He should have seen this coming after the last meeting they had.

"_Being the number one Hero and all, it's just… Maybe the safest place for you isn't with me."_

It hurt him to remember the words he said. The look of shock, heartbreak maybe, other feelings he wasn't emotionally intelligent enough to recognize on her face haunted him. But even now, as much as it killed him inside part of him still felt it was the right thing to say.

The years after high school the two had become even closer despite losing connections with everyone else in some capacity, afternoons with coffee and conversation became evenings with dinner and sleepovers. Innocent enough at first, but hell they were adults and eventually things became intimate. Both of them weren't good at this kind of thing. They had seen relationships before but being a Hero made it complicated, so they both ignored it and just kept going with he flow. A single night every week or so could keep them both happy, or so they thought.

Nights apart became lonelier, their individual beds colder, the smiles they gave the public every day more and more forced. Who knew you could need someone in your life so bad? Izuku and Ochaco both knew now. As their feelings came to a peak, a normal night at Izuku's apartment became heavy. She had seen a much different outcome to admitting she wanted more from their relationship, maybe moving in together, defining themselves, no more cold, lonely nights.

What she hadn't expected was Izuku to essentially turn her down. In her logical mind, she completely understood, Izuku was in a very high profile position as the number one hero. Even All Might had never married or had kids, at least to her knowledge. But in her emotional mind she was a wreck; this was rejection because he didn't want her. They talked all night after and ultimately came to the agreement that at least for now they should keep up their public image as former UA classmates turned Pro Heroes. As colleges. As friends. It really was the smartest thing to do. But right now Ochaco wasn't in her logical mindset.

**I don't want a friend**

Ochaco stood up and led the Symbol of Peace over to his cozy living area. He still wore a cute look of confusion on his face but that was okay. She laid her head on his broad chest while her arms wrapped around his midsection. This was right.

**I want my life in two**

**Waiting to get there**

**Waiting for you**

She didn't care about any consequences anymore. She was a hero herself, if anyone wanted to come and hurt Izuku she would fight them herself. She wasn't defenseless. Izuku had now snaked his own arms around her, pulling her in closer. She smiled as tears pricked at her eyes. The glow across the apartment from the kitchen seemed so far now and the moonlight drifting in from the single window seemed to bask them in an ethereal glow.

**When I'm around slow dancing in the dark**

**Don't follow me you'll end up in my arms**

He knew this was dangerous. This kind of intimacy had a way of breaking down the barriers he struggled to put up to keep Ochaco safe. One wrong move and he would break; he would express his love, beg her to stay with him forever and never leave, and that wouldn't keep her safe. Suddenly he felt his feet lift from the ground, he looked to Ochaco to see her face tear stained, but smiling; they were floating, and every so slighting spinning. Like a planet on its axis.

**You have made up your mind**

**I don't need no more signs **

He couldn't help but return her smile as the two hung gently in the air, like stars bathed in the pale light. Almost on instinct, the two moved into a familiar position, her arms behind his neck, his large hands on both sides of her tiny waist. They had danced in this way for years, away from the world, these days exclusively in Izuku's apartment.

**Can you?**

**Can you? **

Before he could so much as speak her name she closed the gap between their faces. A moment of surprise before he quickly retuned her soft, yet passionate kiss. Any logic quickly forgotten, Izuku could only stare down at her once they parted. She maintained a shaky smile as fresh tears streamed down her rounded cheeks. He gently reached up with one scarred hand to wipe them away with his thumb. She pressed into his touch reaching up with one of her own hands to keep his hand against her face, eyes closed, taking in his touch.

He was losing the battle against her.

**Give me reasons we should be complete**

**You should be with them, I can't compete**

**You looked at me like I was someone else**

He loved her. More than she may ever know. She had believed in him before almost anyone had, helped him grow, loved him when he hated himself, held his hand through All Might's passing, and just made his chaotic life lovely. Part of him still felt she would be happier with someone else, away from him and even further away from people that would want to hurt him. Deep down though he knew she didn't see it that way. She didn't see the Symbol of Peace, she saw Izuku. And maybe that's what he wanted most. To the rest of the world he could continue to be the number one hero, but here, just with her he could be Izuku.

**Can't you see?**

They resumed their dancing, floating even higher than before. His heart felt so full. He never wanted to feel any other way again. Being with Ochaco was exactly where he belonged, and luckily it seemed she felt the same. "Izuku," she finally spoke up. "I knew we've talked about it before but do you think maybe…" He cut her off with another kiss, a smoldering kiss that burned through his frustrations, his hesitations, and conveyed his passion.

"I don't care what anyone says anymore, and while I will always worry about you, maybe the safest place for you after all is with me, where I can keep you safe." A smile of understanding pulled at her lips and fresh tears threatened to fall. "Besides, I've heard pro Hero couples are pretty popular these days!" She silenced him with another kiss, understanding the meaning.

**I don't wanna slow dance**

**In the dark**

She couldn't be happier.

* * *

AN: This idea popped into my head the other night while I laid in bed and this song came on. It wouldn't get out of my head until I wrote it. This is my first step into the MHA community so please, reviews and criticism are welcome! I don't write very much though, so please be somewhat gentle to my lil heart c:

Please review! It makes me so happy!

AN 2: Of course I do not own any part of My Hero or Joji's song Slow Dancing in the Dark!


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